The invention relates to a shower base panel module, comprising:                a panel element;        a continuous borehole provided on the panel element,        wherein the panel element has a first pan-shaped surface and a second planar surface facing away from the first surface, such that the outer edge of the panel element has a panel thickness that exceeds a panel thickness at the borehole; and        an annular body accommodated in the borehole for receiving a drain element,        wherein the annular body protrudes beyond the second planar surface in the drain direction, and wherein a reinforcement body, which receives the annular body protruding beyond the planar surface, is placed beneath the second planar surface of the panel element.        
A shower base panel module 200 of the type mentioned above is shown in FIG. 7. The shower base panel module is composed of a panel element 1 having a continuous borehole 3 and a reinforcement body 2, which are adhesively bonded to each other (see bottom of FIG. 7). The plate-shaped reinforcement body 2 has a second continuous borehole 17, which coincides with the borehole 3 of the panel element 1 when the shower base panel module 200 is assembled. The reinforcement body 2 is made of the same material as the panel element 1, and is rectangular and relatively thick, such that the shape thereof resembles a cuboid.
It is the object of the invention to design a novel shower base panel module of the type described in the preamble, which does not require the expansive shape of the reinforcement body. Moreover, the novel shower base panel module is to be designed so that it can be installed flush with the surface in a wooden floor structure of a shower stall.
This object is achieved by a shower base panel module of the type in question, resulting from designing the reinforcement body as a flattened, annular functional element produced in one material piece, which has a circular axial opening to receive the drain element. The reinforcement body not only fulfills a mechanically stabilizing function for the panel element, but is also used as a fastening element for receiving a drain element or an adapter.
The reinforcement body is preferably produced from a corrosion-resistant material, and preferably from stainless steel sheet using a deep drawing or metal spinning process.
The required rigidity for the reinforcement body can be achieved by appropriate shaping. For example, the metal reinforcement body can comprise a flange that transitions into a pan and has peripheral beads, wherein the aforementioned opening for receiving the drain element is located on the pan bottom. The described reinforcement body can have approximately the shape of a dinner plate, having a cut-out bottom and a particularly wide, flat rim.
It is also possible to produce a torsion-free reinforcement body from a mechanically stable and water-resistant thermoplastic or thermoset material, such as polycarbonate. Such a reinforcement body made of plastic material can be produced using an injection molding process.
The reinforcement body can be manually or mechanically attached to the panel element and/or to the annular body by way of an adhesive bond.
A drain element shall be understood to mean a conventional drain pan having an odor trap, or a drain pipe that is to be sealed directly in the annular body by way of an adapter part.
A particular advantage of the shower base panel module according to the invention is that it can be installed in various substructure designs, for example in wooden flooring structures on a timbered ceiling, flush with the surface. Due to the especially robust, but very flat reinforcement body, the overall thickness of the shower base panel module is adapted to wooden floors where the surface of the panel element is aligned with the surface of the wooden floor. In addition, the shower base panel module according to the invention is suitable for creating what is known as a floor-level shower area.
A further advantage of the invention is that the panel element having the reinforcement body placed beneath can be covered with tiles directly on a cement layer.
Due to the stability of the shower base panel module, the body can even be used on non-load-bearing subsurfaces.